The Never Ending Story
by StillHaddicted
Summary: Set in season 7, sometime after 'Bombshell.' One morning Cuddy wakes up later than usual, but she has a very good reason for that: Today, indeed, is not like any other day… Just a fantasy short story about what ifs.
1. Chapter 1

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_**Hi everybody!**_

_**Thank you for all the feedbacks and reviews, especially the ones pointing out about the mistakes and punctuation. You'll find now a revised version of the first chapter, a dear friend of mine pointed out the very same things to me and did the necessary corrections, also giving me precious pointers for the future. So, I hope you'll give me another chance, I will get back at all the stories I have and I would like to post (which are quite a lot) and try to fix as much as I can.**_

_**A bit about this story: it's only 3 parts long, and however I never really thought House and Cuddy could end up this way it was an interesting idea: I tried to exploit my way, and keep it in tune with the characters and the show.**_

That morning, unusually so, Cuddy was woken by the sound of her alarm clock buzzing at an hour way passed the one her normally busy morning rituals would have allowed her to schedule. The night before, while she thought she wouldn't be able to sleep at all, she'd drifted into a peaceful slumber nonetheless, without her body even noticing.

She silenced the alarm clock and reluctantly lifted an eyelid. Her fuzzy brain didn't quite register the significance of the hour displayed on the alarm screen, and she searched mechanically for a warm presence beside her instead, her hand groping around the spot next to her on the bed. When she found it empty, she sat bolt upright, panicking a little when she heard no sound coming neither from the bathroom nor the rest of the place. She glanced at the alarm once more and sighed in relief when the six o' clock sign reminded her why her usual timing had been postponed that morning. Smiling to herself, Cuddy drew the sheets out with one enthusiastic gesture and got out of bed, wondering if she was the only woman that chose to wake up later than any other day on her wedding one.

She grabbed her woollen robe and put it on before heading to the kitchen. On her way there**,** she took a moment to check on Rachel, who was still deeply asleep, a blissful smile adorning her face as if**,** even in her dream**,** she was aware of what was about to happen**.** Cuddy stopped at the guestroom next, opening the door and, heedful not to make any noise, she poked her head in to make sure her mom was still sleeping as well. Happy to have some alone time, imagining what a privacy-less mess her day would soon become, Cuddy went to the kitchen and prepared some tea, poured herself a cup and headed outside, carefully carrying the mug with her. She sat down on the steps under the porch, inhaling long breaths and filling her lungs with both the aroma of the tea and the freshness of the morning air, thinking that the combined scents somehow smelled of victory.

Well, it did in a way. Gregory House was about to marry her**.** That**,** without a doubt**,** was surely one thing worthy of celebration. After all, the day he had proposed to her, it had literally overwhelmed her. She smiled remembering that moment when, out of the blue and with no warning at all, he had asked her to marry him. It had come out of nowhere, in such a genuine - yet so blunt manner, he didn't even have a ring for her. His ability to take her aback by being so unpredictable, while at the same time baring all his emotions for her in such a touching and spontaneous way, was one of the things that had opened her eyes and convinced her to try and make things work with him again. Of course it hadn't been easy**. **Step one had consisted in showing him that he could still trust her which, alone, had been a challenge; mainly because she had to convince herself that she could avoid hurting him again in the first place**.** Then he had been the one showing her he could tear down his walls with her, and still be the man she knew he could be. The one admitting his flaws and not fearing them, the one capable of having a genuine and spontaneous interaction with her daughter, the one pulling out a marriage proposal while they were having Chinese takeaways on the floor of his living room**.** The one who…

The one who had just parked his car down the street and was now limping in her direction, looking like a hungry man about to raid the richest of fridges.

Taken aback, Cuddy was unable to react at first. She could only keep her grip around the mug, clenching her hands around it tightly as she watched House approach with a determined pace. As he marched towards her, she was puzzled to realize that he was still wearing his pajama pants. But she had no time to focus on the details**.** She didn't even have time to stand up or speak because when he finally stopped, right in front of her, Cuddy noticed his face, pale as a ghost and shocked as if he had just seen one for real. If there was an image to illustrate "cold feet," House's facial expression in that moment, as well as his whole being, would have surely been the perfect one: Every cell of his body was screaming fear and doubts, and he was looking like he'd been vomited there in her driveway by a screwed**-**up time machine.

In a matter of seconds, the quiet serenity she'd felt when she'd woken up that morning vanished into thin air. If House seemed lost, Cuddy was scared like hell, and the fact that he seemed unsure as to what to say exactly didn't really help reassuring her. Cuddy felt equally paralysed and unable to speak, immobile on the steps and looking up at him in a scene that would have been surely odd to witness, had there been any audience. Thank God though, there was no one around because, truth be told, they were looking like two idiots who didn't really know why they were here or what to say. And finally, House spoke.

"I'm sorry**,**" he huffed, barely above a whisper, which still managed to turn the blood in her veins into cold ice**.** "I'm sorry in advance, for anything stupid and crazy I'll do today. I didn't have one minute sleep last night. I…I'm nervous**,** ok? I don't know what I might end up doing today**.** My stomach is tearing me apart**.** I'm about to puke just by smelling your tea I-"

He waved his hand in the air and, Cuddy noticed he had no cane**.** Maybe he had left it in the car or more likely forgotten it at home if he had left in a hurry**.**

"There are countless things I can screw up today**,**" he went on**.** "I'm so tense I could end up saying the wrong words or insulting the judge…God**,** I might even end up kissing your mother! I-"

For the first time he broke eye contact with her, turning his back on her, as if to release some of the frustration he was feeling**.**

"Cuddy**,** I don't know what's wrong with me," he added, facing her again**.** "I swear to God I'm not chickening out**,** but I want you to know that I might screw it up, one way or the other**.** You know me, it really doesn't take me much to embarrass you and everybody else but I promise-" All of sudden he stopped his confused wandering around and paused, leaning down towards her and, stopping with his face inches away from hers**,** he enveloped her hands**,** still glued on the mug, with his**.** "I promise you Cuddy, one way or the other**,** by the end of the day, I will be your husband. No matter how hard it will be to get there, tonight we'll sleep as a married couple. Because that's what I want."

Having said that, leaving her no time to react at all, he quickly kissed her cheek in an almost distracted way and pulled back, adding another blunt and strong "I promise" before walking away.

One hour or so later, as the sun was up in the sky, Arlene Cuddy exited her room and spotted the front door open**. **She found her daughter there**,** still seated on the steps under the porch, holding a mug of cold tea in her hands and staring blankly in front of her, shaking her head in disbelief, as if she was still trying to figure out what had just happened right before her eyes.

"Everything alright?" Arlene asked sounding a bit concerned.

A small, nervous, smile flickered across Cuddy's face

"Everything's…perfect," she whispered.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Thanks to all the readers and all the comments, especially those pointing me in the right direction. I hope this second part will be better in terms of grammar and punctuation: it would be great if you could point out to me the exact mistakes so I can know for sure what I don't get right and work on it._**

"Mama you beautiful!" Rachel yelled as Cuddy walked out of the bathroom in her shining dress, saying first what all women in the room thought. However, as the little girl tried to run to her mother, Arlene immediately blocked her with a firm grip on her shoulder.

"Careful Rachel," Arlene warned her with a knowing nod. "You don't want to ruin mom's dress, do you?"

The girl shook her head with a serious expression, but still ran to her mother for a careful hug. Smiling, Cuddy wrapped her arms around her daughter and shrugged at her mother and House's, both smiling at the scene. After all, none of them had been able to stop smiling during the last couple of hours. Cuddy was glowing. Her mother was radiant – as much as she could be - and so was Blythe, who had stormed there the moment she had heard the word "wedding". Not to mention Rachel, who had been trotting around all day telling everybody she met that "Mommy was about to get House chained," as _someone_ had taught her, unwisely.

Grumbling in the corner of the room was Julia, for once the one getting glares and muffled reproaches by their mother. Despite that, she was not going to ruin her sister's big day. She was the one reminding everybody that many things still needed to be done, and after a few more compliments they all headed out leaving Cuddy alone. She was extremely grateful about that: The tension and excitement of the day were giving her nausea and she hadn't been able to get rid of it yet.

House's morning impromptu visit had done that to her. When she'd woken up in the morning, she was as happy as any woman about to get married could be but, ever since his visit, she'd been a nervous wreck, asking herself on which part of his speech she should have relied more.

"For God's sake House!" she blurted out in the loneliness of her bedroom, checking her make up in the mirror for the umpteenth time. "Of course, no one but you would make me feel guilty for being nervous on my wedding day!"

She huffed exasperated at her own reflection, grumbling about her fiancé's bluntness. By admitting his weaknesses, as she'd always hoped he would, he had dropped them all on her, who had none; because she was not feeling weak. At least, when she'd woken up in the morning, she wasn't: She was about to marry the man she loved and who loved her, and nothing other than the usual wedding stress should have ruined her day.

Cuddy was still arguing with herself, when a knock on the door distracted her. Before she could answer, Wilson entered with a determined pace, bursting in without waiting for permission and causing her to jolt on her seat.

"What the-Wilson!" she protested vehemently. "When did you forget to knock?"

"I thought," the oncologist said in bafflement, pointing randomly with his hand behind him, "I could come in…"

"Of course you can," she amended, albeit still glaring at him. "But you should have knocked, what if I weren't dressed?"

"Um," he mumbled thoughtfully, closing the door behind him, "I just ran into the mothers. They really looked like they'd just seen the bride in her wedding dress. And by the way," he stood closer to her studying her figure from head to toe, "wow Cuddy, you're absolutely gorgeous!"

Resisting Wilson's manners was always hard, even more when he was in full flattering mode and Cuddy soon got rid of her pouting face. She smiled as she started to approach him, but

"You're not about to cry, are you?"

"No, I think I'll save that for the "yes" part," he chuckled, then stepped closer and carefully hug his boss and friend. "God, you're tense like a violin chord!"

"It's my wedding day Wilson, I am supposed to be tense," she defended herself. She pulled back from him and went back to the mirror to put the veil on. "I bet House is a train wreck, too, isn't that why you're here?"

She kept on adjusting the veil but, the more she tried the more she thought she shouldn't have worn one at all, and she realized after a while that Wilson still hadn't answered her joke. Puzzled, Cuddy put the veil down and looked at the best man, who was looking anywhere but at her.

"Wilson," Cuddy said, a note of alarm in her voice. She straightened up and stepped toward him, threatening. "Wilson, just tell me…how nervous is he?"

Once more, Wilson failed to answer. He just gulped down, nervously, desperately trying to sort himself out.

"He's…fine."

"Oh my God, he's that bad?" Cuddy cut him off, now panicking and feeling her stomach twirl on itself, and she grabbed his shoulders. "What is he doing? You didn't give him something to drink, did you? Please tell me you didn't-"

"Cuddy," he interrupted her fiercely, trying to free himself from her grip. "I told you, he's fine. I mean-" He rested his hands on her shoulders, guiding her to sit on the bed. "I really mean it, he's fine. He's calm. He's out there chatting. He's been nice. He looks like he's done this before." He shook his head, smiling as he passed one hand in his hair. "I've done this before and I wasn't this relaxed not even at my third marriage!"

"That…son of a bitch!" Cuddy blurted out, slamming her hand on the mattress. "He comes here, he's worried, he said he's gonna screw up and now he's calm? I'm freaking out and he's calm! How can he be calm?"

"I think," the oncologist shyly suggested, although he found the situation quite funny, "he's just sure about what he's about to do."

"You mean I'm not?" she hissed as she turned around to face him. "You think I don't want to marry him? That I'll chicken out?"

"I'm saying he loves you, Cuddy," the oncologist stated. Amused by her reaction, he was also confident he had to calm her down before she could really freak out. "And he's accepting this, he's letting this do some good to him and trust me…there's no way in hell he'll let anything, not even himself, get in the way. So now," he huffed and went back to the bed, picking up the veil and handling it of her, "find a way to put this without looking like the wicked witch of OZ, swallow an antacid and get ready. There's a bunch of people who came to see the event of the century."


	3. Chapter 3

**And so this came to an end. Here's the last part, hopefully you'll find it true the characters the way I wanted it to be.**

**Thanks everybody for reading, reviewing and giving me a chance. Still working hard on my grammar and everything else, more stories will come.**

* * *

It might not have been the event of the century, but for PPTH's small world, Cuddy and House's marriage sure was a big thing. There weren't many people gathered there, in Cuddy's backyard: families, friends, co-workers…all the ones supposed to share the day with them, all of them perfectly aware of the importance of the moment.

A simple ceremony held by a judge, since any religion related union was out of question for many reasons. To get married, finally, after so many years spent chasing and refusing each other, after the last rough couple of years… Time has come, to finally become one item, for real.

Forever.

House was standing near the judge, Wilson behind him and his team all lined up in the first row grinning widely at their unconventional boss eventually submitting to formalities. And as Wilson had told Cuddy, he looked like he belonged there, the calm himself despite the big moment fast approaching. His stoic calm seemed imperishable, even when the small audience stood up announcing the female star of the day was about to make her entrance. Wilson glanced quickly at him and saw House straighten up and take a deep breath, but nothing changed on his face other than a serene smile coming up on his lips. Following the direction of his gaze, the oncologist found it glued on Cuddy, perfectly wrapped in her dress and slowly walking in their direction with a wide smile on her face, holding her bouquet with gracious determination.

There was energy in the air, created by them and the connection of their eyes, House's ones calling her to him, one step after the other. She was still about halfway of the improvised aisle, when House thought he have had enough. That walk was uselessly slow, just to honour a crappy pattern, and blurted something in between his teeth.

"House-" Wilson whispered as he saw his friend fidget, a nervous smile on his face.

"This is stupid," House grumbled. "It's taking her forever."

"House…shut up-"

"You shut up. That's my wife and it's taking her forever. I'm going to get her."

"House-"

But it was too late, House had already taken off in Cuddy's direction, generating noises from the audience and terror in Wilson's face. The oncologist was partially relieved when his friend stopped, but it didn't last long, since instead of taking his place back and just wait as he was supposed to, House slammed the cane on his hand.

"If you want something to be done well, do it yourself…"

It was all he said, then he left Wilson standing there with the cane in his hand and headed straight down the aisle. Murmurs followed him as he caught up with Cuddy, who rolled her eyes at him but still smiled. Without saying a word House offered his arm to her, she had no hesitation and took it, and they made their way to the altar together.

"Show off," Wilson muttered to House as they approached, handling him back the cane. Then he looked over at Cuddy and nodded with a smile at her unveiled face "Good choice with the veil."

From her spot, Cuddy shot him a warning glare and after having received from her a nod, the judge started the ceremony. Neither House nor Cuddy got many words of it to be honest, they knew the interesting part would have been near the end and for the time being all they needed was focus on each other.

They were still looking at each other and holding each other's hands, lost in the other one as they loved to be, when the judge finally hit the important part of his speech.

"Gregory, do you take Lisa to be your wife, to have and to hold in the good times and the bad times, 'till death do you apart?" The judge pompously read from his book.

"Hell yeah!" House announced aloud causing someone to gasp outraged, but people mainly chuckled or laughed.

The judge, who clearly had not enough knowledge of the couple, kept his composure and scoffed as if that wasn't the strangest thing he had seen during a wedding, then he repeated the formula to Cuddy.

"About time," she answered with a smile. House grinned and rolled his eyes when the judge had to call her back to order and ask for the appropriate answer, so she huffed annoyed and complied "Yes, I do."

"Now, if someone thinks Greg and Lisa shouldn't get married speaks now or hold it forever."

It was…odd. House shooting daring glares to the audience, threatening them to keep their mouths shut, wasn't much of a surprise. So weren't Cuddy and Wilson's quite similar attitudes… The weird part was that, apparently, in the audience there were more people menacing and discouraging possible party pooper than those willing to stick a foot in the door. There was a quick and tense exchange of looks and glares in between the rows, plastic seats cracking and absent cough, which left judge Turpin highly impressed. Even though that wasn't a religion union, it still seemed like some major power had landed his bless on that couple no matter what.

"I'd skip this part, your honour," Wilson muttered in between his teeth. "Not like someone would dare anyway-"

"So," the judge uttered, his voice spiking as he glared at Wilson for his inopportune intervention. Then wiped the annoyance from his face and smiled at the couple "I know Greg has something to say."

"Oh God helps us all!" Wilson whined in a low voice, hiding his head in his hands.

"Shut the trap Wilson!" House hissed in between his teeth. His eyes didn't leave Cuddy's face, mesmerized by her beauty as he had never been, then he took her hands and squeezed them, grinning as he said with a teasing voice "Once you told me-" he spoke, his voice incredibly soft no matter his evil smirk "…once you told me to get over you…"

"Good thing you never listen to me."

Cuddy cut him off with a smile, so wide and bright House was almost blinded by it, and although he had more to say he decided it wasn't worthy anymore. Her comeback was better than anything he could have said. The audience really seemed to know them all too well, enough to feel that crazy exchange was nothing but spot on for that insane couple. Arlene did fidget a little on her seat, not too pleased to see her daughter killing the grace of the moment, and Blythe seemed to be too busy being happy for her son to care. Behind House, his best man was just shaking his head, almost ashamed they were giving such a poor show. Truth was he, as much as everybody else, knew that was the way they were: unconventional and out of the block, giving shit about the rest of the world and rules when it came to them together.

"So," the judge took control of the ceremony again, feeling like it was slowly sliding into some kind of cabaret act. "By the power vested in me by the state of New Jersey, I now pronounce you man and wife. You-"

"House," to everybody's shock, mainly House and Cuddy's ones, the oncologist stepped closer to his friend. "When he'll say you may kiss the bride he means kiss, not eat her alive."

"Oh shut up Wilson!" Cuddy hissed at him, still keeping the delicate smile on her face.

"I'm just saying…you're not alone here, you know…"

"And you better watch your back for the rest the day if you don't shut up!"

"I just want this to be decent and you to behave, I-"

"Now," Turpin's voice echoed aloud, almost yelling now in a desperate attempt to take back the reins of the ceremony. "If the best man allows you, " he said then addressing House but glaring at Wilson who stepped back rising his hands as to give up.

"I tried," the oncologist huffed in a low voice while going back at his place.

"…you may kiss the bride."

Instead of jumping on each other House and Cuddy just froze, eyes locked as they've been since from when House had gone to take her in the aisle. Their hands joined, chained together, a timeless stare causing everybody to hold their breath as if for some reason something was about to go wrong. Then a large smile appeared on both faces, and for the first time Wilson felt they've finally gotten rid of the tension and were ready to roll, to enjoy the moment and nothing more… Then the smiles became grins, he could see Cuddy's one and just knew there was an equal one on House's face and shivered, feeling his recommendation would have nothing but vain.

"House," he begged in a whisper, barely feeling the light kick of the judge on his ankle, "House for God's sake, get a grip-"

"What do you think, husband?" Cuddy asked in a low voice, carefully wrapping her arms around his neck. "Shouldn't we show them some love?"

"I think, wife," he pointed out, grinning from year to year and holding her hips as he stepped closer to her. "It's about time we rock the party."

"You think," sitting in the first row 13 found herself unable to avert her eyes from the couple. "You think they're going to behave?"

"I think," Chase mumbled, mesmerized and scared as much as she was. "I think it's getting hot out here."

"Ready?"

House invited her, they were so close now both moms were glad there were clothes in between them.

"Ready," Cuddy answered quickly.

"Guys," Wilson desperately applied to them, yet knowing it was a useless plea. "Please…"

But it was too late.

Or, as House had stated, it was just about time.

They moved at the same moment, one leaning on the other keeping their eyes open until the very last moment. Their lips touched tentatively, just a second before they parted and tongues met, sliding like a perfect mechanism and plunging in the other one's mouth, caressing, exploring, touching, sucking as if it was the first time. And it was, as a renewed couple at least. After having chased each other for so long, having lost and found each other again… Their breaths speeded up and the rest of the world became a blurred bubble. Nothing mattered, neither their moms wiping tears from their eyes nor Wilson whining at them to get a grip, neither the audience silently watching nor the judge blushing.

Nothing but them.

Heart racing, House clenched his hands on her hips then slide them on her back, Cuddy's arm wrapped his shoulder possessively and dragged him down to kiss him better.

"50$ he's going to grab her ass," Taub offered in a low voice, as the others unable to stop watching them.

"100$ she'll do it first," Foreman quickly raised.

"Deal."

As if she had heard him, Cuddy's hand slowly but surely travelled down his back, till his hips and finally to his butt, to which she gave a quick but firm squeeze. House groaned in her mouth, pleased beyond reason she had dared, while from his spot Taub hastily slammed money in Foreman's hand. Recovering from that bold display, Wilson gathered his courage and stepped closer to House daring to tap his shoulder, coughing absently.

"House," he said shyly, hearing somebody chuckle somewhere. "We should move on-"

Not that they were listening to him, but air eventually ran out and they had to break apart, still holding each other's gaze with the same hunger. And when the sudden lust generated by their kiss finally faded, all that was left was the certainty Wilson was, despite himself, so very right.


End file.
